Chris Arreola (36-5-1, 31 KO), one of the most exciting heavyweights over the last decade, will return to the ring after a 2 1/2 year hiatus to face Maurenzo Smith (20-10-4, 13 KO).

Arreola vs Smith will take place December 1 in Los Angeles and on the Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury undercard, and will serve as Arreola's first fight in nearly 2 1/2 years.

Perhaps the break is just what the 37 year old needed as he's just 2-3-1-1NC in his last seven bouts.

So, who is Maurenzo Smith?

The 41 year old is unbeaten in his last 9 fights (8-0-1) and has been quite active the last two years, fighting nine times since April 2016.

And yes, Smith has some familiar names on his ledger including Joey Abell, Adam Kownacki, Shannon Briggs, Charles Martin, Vinny Maddalone and Andy Ruiz, Jr. However, sans the draw to Maddalone in 2013, Smith has been silenced every time he's stepped in the ring with a name opponent.

Today's crop of welterweights may be the best 147 lb class in the history of the sport. When has the division ever been so deep?

If the welterweight division is boxing's most exciting weight class which is second?

Can a strong argument be made for the heavyweight division, once the most glamorous weight class in boxing? There's nothing like the big guys 'throwing down' and some are confident boxing's big boys are about to experience a renaissance of sorts.

Several years ago, many fight fans couldn't name an active heavyweight outside of the Klitschko Brothers and David Haye.

How things have changed?

Not only is the division getting deep, it boasts some interesting personalities as well. Today's heavyweight division has some swagger on top of skill and power.

WLADIMIR KLITSCHKOCountry: UkraineRecord: 64-3-0 (53 KOs)The long-reigning lineal world champion, Klitschko is already being touted as an all-time great. And at 39, he shows no signs of slowing.

ALEXANDER POVETKINCountry: RussiaRecord: 29-1-0 (21 KOs)Easily one of the most decorated amateur heavyweights ever; Has only lost to Klitschko in what became a messy, mauling affair.

TYSON FURYCountry: U.K.Record: 24-0-0 (18 KOs)Perhaps the most colorful, controversial fighter in the sport, Fury is 6'10" but moves like an NBA guard. (OK, maybe that's an exaggeration but you get the point)

KUBRAT PULEVCountry: BulgariaRecord: 20-1-0 (11 KOs)Only loss is to Klitschko; He's big, strong, fast and has all of the tools to be a champion

TONY THOMPSONCountry: U.S.Record: 40-5-0 (27 KOs)At 43, the no nonsense 'Tiger' has made a living (literally) playing spoiler the last few years, derailing hot prospects time and after time. Is Anthony Joshua next?

ANTHONY JOSHUACountry: U.K.Record: 13-0-0 (13 KOs)The hottest prospect in boxing? Maybe. Some insist this 25 year old, a 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist, will have a title, if not several, in the next 16 months.

After waiting for what seems like an eternity to finally prove his mettle on the championship stage, the 35 year old Haitian native, Bermane "B Ware" Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs), took full advantage of his golden opportunity this evening in front of a hostile crowd in Los Angeles, California.

The newly crowned WBC Heavyweight Champion was ultimately able to capture the coveted title by stopping perennial contender Chris Arreola (36-4, 31 KOs) in the sixth round of a scheduled twelve round contest, flooring the hard charging fighter two times in the process.

But not before taking a few lumps from the game Hispanic fighter.

In an action filled Heavyweight scrap that dazzled those in attendance, the hard charging Riverside competitor brought the fight to the Las Vegas resident.

And in the cramped 17 foot ring, Stiverne had no choice but to fight back.

From the opening bell to the eventual stoppage in the sixth stanza, the 33 year old fight veteran relentlessly pursued Bermane Stiverne, coming at him with hard combinations to the body and head. While Chris had many moments of success within the hard fought contest, it was the betting favorite and number one contender who seemed to land the cleaner and more damaging blows when it mattered the most.

In the first round, Arreola took the lead and ostensibly set the tempo of the action packed bout, working in combination with hard left-rights through the middle of Bermane's guard.

After several hard exchanges, Stiverne shook the crowd favorite with a short, compact left hook counter in the closing seconds of the opening period.

The second round showed more of the same, with "The Riverside Nightmare" out working the proud, Haitian born fighter, implementing a consistent flow of pressure by way of combinations to the body and head. Although Bermane was able to land the occasional clean shot, it Arreola who was controlling the action with a steady flow punches while taking the lead and pushing the tempo.

Rounds three and four saw the California native's best moments, attacking the patient fighter with eye catching combinations from mid to short range. Arreola consistently charged at Stiverne with his entire arsenal of shots; intelligently working behind the lead left jab that seemed to set the table for a consistent barrage of hard hooks to the body and head in close quarters.

Although Chris was winning the fight after the first four rounds of action , the 33 year old prizefighter had no clue he was being set up by the explosive puncher from Haiti.

As Arreola began to get more comfortable attacking Stiverne, the Mexican-American fighter noticeably started to become more complacent, walking into the line of fire without moving his head and working behind the jab. Although Chris was still landing with regularity in round five, the confident fighter abandoned his range finder and his first line of attack.

Stieverne saw the opening and took advantage of the consequential mistake in the sixth round.

At the 2:00 mark of the final stanza, Bermane landed a sweeping right hand that landed on the temple of Chris Arreola, which buckled the perennial contender and sent him to the canvas.

While the brave Los Angeles born fighter beat the referee's count, it was obvious to those at ringside that Arreola was still on unsteady legs...it was apparent to his opponent as well.

After veteran referee Jack Reiss allowed the action to continue, Bermane intelligently put his punches together in combination and didn't smother his offense. He calmly worked the body and head until Arreola went down again at the 1:23 mark, by way of a short, compact right hook to the side of the head.

Despite once again getting up before the third man in the ring reached his ten count, the fight was a foregone conclusion. There was too much time remaining in the sixth round, and Arreola didn't have the legs to survive the final minute on the clock.

When the action commenced, Bermane started letting his hands go once more, and immediately garnered the attention of the referee in charge. CSAC ref Jack Reiss had seen enough and decided to officially call a halt to the bout at the 1:00 mark of round number six.

After the nine year professional was declared the winner by ring announcer Michael Buffer, Stiverne was expectedly elated at the outcome of his first title opportunity.

"I studied and I studied...I watched my opponent, and knew that I could knock him out," stated the understandably emotional Bermane Stiverne. "I knew I had to be patient. The plan was to let him get comfortable...and he soon as he got really comfortable, the plan was to crack him. And that's what I did."

"It was the same right hand that I used to drop him in the first fight. Arreola had been doing the same mistakes with all of his opponents, but I guess his opponents don't usually watch tapes of his fights."

"I knew it was a wrap," expounded new Heavyweight titlist. "The way I trained, and as hard as I hit for twelve rounds, I knew that I could knock him out. I've got the power."

When asked about whether or not he preferred to face universally recognized Heavyweight Champion Wladimir Klitschko or highly touted prospect Deontay Wilder in his first title defense, Mr. Stiverne gave a very candid and appropriate response.

"With all due respect, I don't give a damn about Klitschko or Wilder right now," admitted the 35 year old fighter. "Right now it's about what I won. I'm so happy and this is the best moment of my world."

After suffering a second failed opportunity at capturing championship gold, the 33 year old fighter was candid about what had just transpired in the ring.

"I'm devastated, man," explained Chris Arreola. "I'm here to win. He has a tremendous right hand. I felt like I was winning the fight, but he just got me with the same right hand that hurt me in the first fight. I couldn't get away from it...and after that, it was all she wrote."

Although the brave Riverside based fighter was winning the fight on two of the judges' scorecards at the time of stoppage, another title opportunity had ultimately slipped through Arreola's fingers.

Chris talked about the referee's decision to officially stop the fight.

"Was the fight stopped a little too early, I believe so. But then again, the referee is there to protect me from myself. I felt like I was winning the fight, but a loss is a loss. What can I do? Nothing but tip my hat to him."

When asked about his future in the sport, the 11 year professional was surprisingly upbeat.

"I've got to keep trucking," stated Arreola. "I would have honestly retired if I had lost to a fighter like Seth Mitchell, but Bermane is a world class boxer. I consider myself to be back. I'm going to cause a lot of commotion in the heavyweight division. I' m not out, man. I need to change a couple of things...no more cervezas, I have to live a clean life."

After a very sportsmanlike promotion from both camps, Chris Arreola and Bermane Stiverne finally let their respective tempers flare during the final press conference on Thursday, May 8th, in Los Angeles, California.

The Haitian born fighter, and slight betting favorite leading into Saturday night's main event, had a chance to take several verbal shots at this opponent before Chris had a chance to reach the podium.

"Ain't nobody going to beat me," declared Bermane Stiverne. "He ain't gonna beat me. They can talk that talk...I don't talk. I talk in the ring. I let the media talk...even when they talk sh**. Most of them have never been in the ring."

"I'm done talking. I do my talking in the ring. I know Chris likes to talk. So I'll let him come up to the mic and do what he does best...talking. I don't make excuses."

Bermane then targeted his rant directly to Chris Arreola for the remainder of his time in front of the podium.

"If you think for one minute that I couldn't knock you out during our first fight, you are wrong...you are so wrong. What you didn't know is that was the plan...to whoop you're a** ...not to knock you out, but to whoop you're a**."

"This fight...I'm going to drop you. You're going to get up, I'm going to whoop you and then I'm going to knock you out! You can have that silly face that you have right now, but that don't matter. In the back of you're mind you know...I swear to God you know. You know what's going to happen on Saturday night!"

"Go ahead, make a show here for people...look at me and sh**. Stare at me. It don't matter. Because in the ring...that mouth of yours, I'm going to shut it down! And this time it ain't no joke. I'm going to take your head off! Whatever you give me, I'm going to take it off. You can lose all of the weight you want, it don't matter. You can be in shape, and it don't matter."

"Because you don't have the skills I got or the power I got! Whatever you can do in the ring, I do it better. Ten times better. Remember where I'm from, man...you can have all of the heart and the balls that you want. But it ain't gonna help you...nothing will help you. Whoever you have in your team ain't gonna help you...nothing will help you. Think about that tonight when you're alone."

"Cause I'm for real, and nobody is going to beat me! Cause you're going to have a new champion and I'm going to bring the belt back to America, and it's going to stay in America and it's going to stay around my waist! That's all I've got to say!"

Arreola's longtime promoter, Dan Goossen then commenced to introducing his fighter, while making a friendly wager with Hall of Fame promoter Don King in the process.

"Come Saturday night you're going to see a man who I know to be the toughest Heavyweight in the world today when he's right physically and mentally," stated the customarily reserved California based fight promoter. "History is going to be made on Saturday night. We're going to have the first Mexican-American Heavyweight Champion.

"I don't know what you just said, Bermane, but I'm going to tell you right now that you're going to need a new hair-net after this. I'm so confident that Arreola will win this fight, that I'm willing to make a bet with Don king that the losing promoter shaves their head."

"I feel comfortable making that bet, because I have the next WBC Heavyweight Champion, Chris Arreola."

While Dan was introducing his fighter, Bermane interrupted the longtime promoter and stated that he would wager his entire purse on the bout's eventual outcome.

Ostensibly fed up with the banter, the "Riverside Nightmare" then made his way up to the press conference podium and exploded.

"I've been cracked plenty of times and I keep coming...I keep coming and keep coming. This Saturday I'm gonna win this title! You know what, even if it wasn't for the title, I would f*** this guy up...F*** this guy!!"

"Now he's yapping!! Before today, I had respect for him. He's usually a quiet dude and I always had respect for him. But now, I'm gonna f*** you up!! You're gonna remember me! I promise you! I'm gonna tell you guys this...this Saturday, you guys are going to see a great fight. You guys are going to see history in the making...made by me! Not this Haitian...this Mexican is going to do it! Watch this!!"

"My blood is boiling right now! Thank you, Bermane...for getting me pumped up about this fight!"

The fight fans thank you as well, Mr. Stiverne!

The highly anticipated showdown between Chris Arreola and Bermane Stiverne for the WBC Heavyweight Championship will take place at the newly constructed Galen Center, located within the USC Campus in Los Angeles, California. The fight will be broadcast on ESPN with a live start time of 8PM EST/5PM PST.

]]>jh@fs.com (Joseph Herron)NewsFri, 09 May 2014 12:55:11 +0000Don King and the Heavyweights: The boys are back in townhttps://www.fightsaga.com/news/item/4314-Don-King-and-the-Heavyweights-The-boys-are-back-in-town
https://www.fightsaga.com/news/item/4314-Don-King-and-the-Heavyweights-The-boys-are-back-in-town

On Thursday, March 27th, from the USC Galen Center in Los Angeles, California, one of the most notorious and prolific promoters in the history of the sweet science kicked off possibly the beginning of a new era in Heavyweight boxing.

The 82 year old “King” of boxing, Don King, and California based promoter Dan Goossen held a press conference to announce the return of the glamour division to mainstream television.

Heavyweight contenders Chris Arreola (36-3, 31 KOs) and Bermane Stiverne (23-1-1, 20 KOs) are scheduled to fight for the vacant WBC Heavyweight crown on May 10th, which is slated to be aired on the worldwide leader in sports programming, ESPN.

The Heavyweights truly set the tone for the sport. Although the big men have fallen from grace, the good people at ESPN have given them redemption! We’ve got everyone here to create the excitement…well, the excitement is already here. All we’re going to do is try to embellish upon it.”

The infamous boxing icon who brought historic events like “Rumble in the Jungle” and the legendary “Thrilla in Manilla” to the masses in the 70’s is hoping to catch lightning in a bottle once again with “Arreola vs. Stiverne” in May.

“The Heavyweight division are the glorious warriors…they lead the pack,” exclaimed the consummate showman. “That’s what all of you will bare witness to on this glorious night. When you see the type of battle that will take place here on May 10th, victory is eminent. History will be made here and will come to you live and in living color.”

The two combatants will tangle for the vacant WBC Heavyweight belt, relinquished by Vitali Klitschko, who most recently held the coveted distinction from 2008-2013. The 42 year old, long reigning title holder left the sport of boxing in 2013 to pursue a fulltime career in politics within his home country of Ukraine.

The outspoken and entertaining boxing mouthpiece is hoping that the coronation of a new champion will spark mainstream interest in the sport once again.

“If you haven’t seen Heavyweight boxing when it’s for the world championship, it’s glorious…glorious…glorious! We’ve been denied Heavyweight boxing for so long, so I want everyone to come together for this great event, in which we will crown a new Heavyweight Champion and begin a new era! Its going to be a glorious and historic event here at the Galen Center!”

The ESPN televised title bout will indeed be an unprecedented event. For the first time in the history of the sport, fight fans will see either a Mexican-American or a Haitian born fighter become a Heavyweight title holder.

Arreola’s trainer spoke about his fighter’s big opportunity.

“This is a second chance for Chris to make history,” stated fight coach Henry Ramirez of Riverside, California. “The fight being held in his hometown just makes it that much more important. Vitali Klitschko is gone and his brother is on his way out, so we’re about to see a new era in Heavyweight boxing. On May 10th, Chris Arreola is going to become the first Mexican-American Heavyweight Champion in the history of boxing.”

The 33 year old Hispanic puncher initially fought for the WBC title against Vitali Klitschko at the Staples Center in 2009, but lost a brutal, one sided contest that was dominated by the 6’7” Ukrainian giant from the opening bell until his trainer mercifully elected to stop the fight at the close of the tenth round.

Arreola is hopeful that a second time will be the charm.

“I’m excited to get this opportunity to fight for the WBC Heavyweight title on ESPN,” stated the Los Angeles, California native. “This is where we belong. Boxing…not MMA. ESPN is where boxing belongs.”

The highly anticipated championship contest is a return bout from April of last year in which Bermane Stiverne won a twelve round unanimous decision over the hard charging Hispanic Heavyweight. In the third round of their first meeting, Arreola was floored with a perfectly timed over hand right that broke the nose of the tough, gritty ten year fight veteran.

“I got caught by a punch I didn’t see coming,” admits Arreola.

“That’s what happens when you fight a world class athlete like Bermane Stiverne. He beat my butt, and should have stopped me because I was wounded. My nose was broken after the third round, and he should have had me out of there. I’m not that kind of guy."

"When I see someone hurt, I take him out. That’s my intent on May 10th…to do to him what he did to me.”

Much has been made concerning the seemingly lack of discipline that has ostensibly plagued the career of the 33 year old fighter. The proud LA born puncher confesses that it’s been a problem throughout his career, but assured the media members in attendance that his training issues have been rectified.

“I’m my own worst enemy,“ professed Chris Arreola. “That’s why we’re training in San Diego and we only have one car key…it’s Henry’s. I have to get out of town, away from distractions to go train. But it’s not my friends, it’s me. I’ve been my own worst enemy in the past, but I am committed to this fight and you’ll see the best Chris Arreola on fight night.”

“He’s a great fighter and I respect him a lot. I can shake his hand right now and after the fight. But in the ring, I don’t like him. I guarantee you that I will have my hand raised in victory on may 10th.”

The perennial Mexican-American contender is currently promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions, while his opponent is promoted by Don King.

The legendary promoter had much to say about Chris’ chances in defeating his fighter, Bermane Stiverne.

“Which Chris do we believe? This is what we call pragmatism or realism,” declared Don King.

“I respect Chris Arreola, and he has proven that he’s a great fighter. But he’s going up against a young ‘Tyson’, so to speak.

He’s only seen a fraction of what this man represents here. Chris has two chances to win the WBC Heavyweight crown…slim and none, and slim is out of town.”

King’s fighter finally got a chance to speak about the upcoming fight.

“This is my first time being involved with ESPN,” stated the Haitian born pugilist. “On May 10th, I will be crowned the new Heavyweight champion…it’s not about shape…it’s about skills. I have better skills and I’m always in shape…I have nothing personal against Chris…I do think that the two best heavyweights are Chris and I.”

“This heavyweight fight won’t be choreographed like another heavyweight fight we recently saw, this is going to be a real fight.”

The veteran fighter took a stab at the March 15th Heavyweight bout that featured WBC mandatory challenger Deontay Wilder and 13 year veteran Malik Scott, which abruptly ended with a controversial first round KO. Many fans scrutinized the 96 second contest, claiming that the proud Philly based fighter took a dive.

“This is it…this is the biggest crown in sport,” stated Bermane Stiverne. “The WBC Heavyweight title is historic. My mind is set and my body is set. May 10th is going to be a great night.”

Although ESPN has shown Heavyweight title fights on their subordinate channels, like ESPN 2 and ESPN 360 online, “Arreola vs. Stiverne” will be the first live Heavyweight title fight ESPN has aired in decades.

The boxing community is hopeful that the broadcast will be the first of many substantial title bouts aired on the worldwide leader in sports programming.

Despite boasting the highest paid athlete in the world and being recognized as a global money maker in sports, mainstream periodicals and network television have kept boxing at a distance; consciously promoting other sporting events over boxing for more than a decade.

Will “Arreola vs. Stiverne” act as the catalyst that finally breaks through mainstream outlets once again?

In the immortal words of the most prolific promoter in boxing’s rich history: “Only in America!!”

According to sources, former European heavyweight champion Robert Helenius will face Michael Sprott on March 23 at the GETEC Arena in Magdeburg, Germany.

Scheduled for 10 rounds, Helenius vs Sprott will be on the undercard of the WBO super middleweight title rematch between champion Arthur Abraham and former belt-holder Robert Stieglitz.

The 6'6½"/200cm 'Nordic Nightmare' from Finland won the vacant European Heavyweight title via a hotly disputed split decision over Dereck Chisora (then 15-1, 9 KO) in December 2011 but was forced to take 11 months off due to a serious shoulder injury following that bout.

In his most recent bout, last November, Helenius loooked sluggish in defeating rugged journeyman Sherman "Tank" Williams via a unanimous decision and was even rocked in the sixth by a big overhand right.

The 38 year old Sprott is coming off an upset win of sorts in December after handing Edmund Gerber his first loss. The verdict was a majority decision.

Sprott (37-19, 17 KO) is ranked No. 30 in the heavyweight division by BoxRec and Robert Helenius (18-0, 11 KO) is No. 10 by the same publication.

Arreola vs StiverneOriginally scheduled for Saturday, this battle of top heavyweight contenders will take place on April 27 at a site to be announced. Arreola pulled out of their March 9 showdown citing bronchitis.

Arreola, 31, has KO'd 30 of his 35 victims, while the 34 year old Stiverne has stopped 20 of his 22 conquests inside the distance.

An injury earlier this year limited Arreola's activity in 2012 to one fight – a first round KO of Eric Molina in February. Stiverne matched Arreola's 2012 bouts posting a win (via unanimous decision) against Willie Herring in April.

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 22) – On Saturday, March 9, Riverside's Chris "The Nightmare" Arreola (35-2, 30 KOs) takes on the heavy-hitting Haitian Bermane "B. Ware" Stiverne (22-1-1, 20 KOs) in a heavyweight battle with the winner guaranteed to fight for the World Boxing Council (WBC) Heavyweight World Championship in his next bout.

Both Arreola and Stiverne will look to put their power on display to take that next step toward history.

The Arreola-Stiverne showdown will be televised on HBO® World Championship Boxing at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. This will also mark the first HBO® boxing event to be held at the world-famous Orange County Fairgrounds & Event Center, home to the newly built 23,000 square foot building The Hangar.

"Boxing fans can look forward to an exciting night of action on HBO® with the heavyweight showdown between Cristobal Arreola and Bermane Stiverne," said Kery Davis, Senior Vice President of Programming, HBO® Sports.

The Arreola-Stiverne fight shapes up as a bout unlikely to go the distance given the knockout rates of both combatants. Arreola, 31, has stopped all but five of his 35 victims, while the 34-year old Stiverne – whose only loss on his impressive record came more than five years and 11 fights ago – has allowed only two of his 22 conquests to hear the final bell.

The co-featured bout is a rematch between two-time World Champion Juan Carlos Salgado (26-1-1, 16 KOs) of Mexico City against the #1 world contender and mandatory challenger, Argenis Mendez (20-2, 10 KOs) of the Dominican Republic in a 12-round IBF Jr. Lightweight World Championship bout.

Tickets priced at $250, $150, and $75 and will go on sale Friday, January 25 at 8 a.m. online at www.fightcluboc.com and irma@goossentutor.com or by calling 818-817-8001.

An injury earlier this year limited Arreola's activity in 2012 to one fight – a first round KO of Eric Molina in February. Stiverne matched Arreola's 2012 bouts posting a win (via unanimous decision) against Willie Herring in April.

"Prior to Chris' injury, he kept a very unheard of pace for a heavyweight, registering five wins in 2011 and a February bout in 2012. This is the type of determination Chris has shown fighting his way back to his goal of becoming heavyweight world champion," his promoter, Goossen Tutor's Dan Goossen said. "He's been incredible staying in the gym and keeping his weight under control. I've said for years he's one of the most exciting fighters in the world, and now with his desire to be in tip-top shape, he's now one of the most dangerous fighters today."

Pictured: Chris Arreola, left, with his promoter Dan Goosen at the post-fight presser. Goossen is President of Goossen Tutor PromotionsCourtesy of Adrian Hernandez, MyUniversalSports.com

The always-entertaining Arreola was thrilled to learn the fight will be in front of his hometown fans in California, "I'm going to make 2013 my year. I'm thrilled to be back on HBO and fighting someone worthy and good in Stiverne. He's a tough fighter but my will and strength will break him down. I'm not going to let anyone stand in my way!"

An irritated Stiverne said about the fight with Arreola, "It should have been done a long time ago." "I don't know what he's been doing besides running from me. I'm looking forward to the fight. He is nothing that I can't deal with. I'll get the job done. I'm not concerned about a knockout. We have a plan that we want to execute. If the knockout comes, it comes."

"It'll be a great fight between Arreola and Stiverne," Stiverne's promoter, Don King, predicted. "It's the next step in bringing the world championship back to America. The fight is a must see."

Salgado vs Mendez

Back on September 10, 2011, Salgado was on the winning end of what many thought was a very tough bout against Mendez for the vacant IBF title in Mexico.

The victory over Mendez made Salgado a two-time world champion previously winning the title in 2009 over then undefeated Jorge Linares with a devastating first round knockout. His reign was short-lived the first time around when he lost his belt in his first defense against Takashi Uchiyama, the still reigning world champion.

Salgado said, "I'm excited to defend my title in California. Mendez has been doing a lot of talking but it won't help him when I beat him for a second time on March 9."

Salgado's promoter, Oswaldo Kuchle of Promociones del Pueblo, said of their first fight, "Salgado-Mendez I was a thriller. The 12th round was a historic round, and I can't wait to see round 1 of the rematch." "Both fighters fought their hearts out, and now, besides the IBF belt on the line, they've made it personal, especially knowing the winner will be on the road to huge fights in this division."

Mendez gets his second shot at the title after soundly beating Martin Honorio for the #1 rating in the IBF and the mandatory shot at Salgado and is anxious to start the bout from the end of the first fight with Salgado when he scored a knockdown in the 12th round but was unable to finish the job.

"I let Salgado off the hook last fight and I won't make the same mistake again. I will make sure that the belt is around my waist at the end this time. The people of the Dominican Republic will have a new champion come March 9th," stated the confident challenger.

"Boxing fans love the heavyweights and we have two of the best and biggest knockout punchers in the business going toe-to-toe," Goossen stated. "Chris is determined to become the first world heavyweight champion of Mexican descent. And with Salgado-Mendez, you have two of the top Junior Lightweights in a rematch that was a thriller the first time around. It will be a great night of fights at The Hangar."

The event is being promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions. The Arreola-Stiverne bout is presented in association with Don King Productions and the Salgado vs. Mendez bout in association with Promociones del Pueblo and Acquinity Sports. The event is sponsored by Corona.

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Doors open at The Hangar at 4:00 p.m. The first non-televised bout starts at 4:30 p.m. The scheduled 12-round bout between Salgado-Mendez will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the Arreola-Stiverne 12-round bout immediately after.

The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center is the centerpiece of the 150-acre campus. Opened in April of 2010 it was designed with an aviation hangar look, including a 50 foot high ceiling as well as 50 foot high hangar doors that can be rolled back to give The Hangar an indoor/outdoor feel. The Hangar also has a 40 foot high HD Screen. The Hangar can be found at the heart of the OC Fair property in the Main Mall area. The Fair is located at88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.

Saturday night in Corpus Christi, TX, Chris Arreola and Paul Williams flexed their might and showed why they're still fighters to be reckoned with in their respective weight divisions.

Paul Williams UD 12 Nobuhiro Ishida

In what was being advertised as a crossroads bout for the former two-time world champion, Paul Williams (41-2, 27 KOs) proved that three tough outings versus crafty southpaws doesn't necessarily equate to a deterioration of skill.

The 30 year old Williams showed much improvement against a very game Nobuhiro Ishida (24-7-2, 9 KOs). The South Carolina banger lived up to his 'Punisher' moniker and recaptured some of his depleting persona by applying effective aggression and dictating the pace of the fight.

From the opening bell, Paul Williams pressed the Japanese fighter at a feverish pace while landing clean combinations to the body and head of the tall, lanky counterpuncher. The exchanges between the two combatants were very entertaining and provided a consistent flow of action throughout the entire 12 round contest.

Although Ishida was landing clean punches to the body and head of Williams, they were seldom in combination and didn't seem to detour the 'Punisher's' assault. The three division warrior threw 934 punches to Ishida's 671.

Pictured: Paul Williams speaks to the media at the post-fight presserCourtesy of Adrian Hernandez, MyUniversalSports.com

The judges at ringside scored the bout identically, 120-108, all in favor of Paul Williams.

"Ishida is a tough fighter but we worked hard and this is just a step towards the top of the game once again."

When asked if he wanted to face the winner of the Kirkland/Molina bout, Paul Williams had a very candid response.

"I want to face the bigger names. No offense, but Kirkland isn't the biggest name in the division. I want to face Alvarez, Cotto, or Chavez...the biggest names in and around the division. I want two or three more fights against the biggest names and then possibly retire."

Although the WBC title eliminator between Chris Arreola ( 34-2, 29 KO) and Eric Molina (18-1, 14 KO) was scheduled for 12 rounds, it only took 2:30 seconds for "The Nightmare" from Riverside, CA, to become the mandatory opponent for Vitali Klitschko once again.

The 30 year old fought a very intelligent fight from start to finish, putting together his punches in combination and working effectively behind a quick, solid jab. But, the obvious difference between the two fighters was the experience factor.

During the last minute of the round, Molina cracked Arreola with a clean overhand right that shook the more experienced combatant. But with the California fighter's amateur experience and ability to think while under duress, Chris Arreola was able to stay calm and composed enough to launch a counter attack.

Chris landed a perfect counter left hook, which surprised the Rio Grande Valley warrior, and followed it up with a perfectly executed straight left hand, right cross combination that floored the 6'5" Texan.

Although Molina showed the heart and willingness to get up, he just wasn't able to think clearly when faced with the Chris Arreola brand of adversity.

"Texas has every reason to be proud of Molina tonight," professed Chris Arreola. "He is a very tough fighter who has a lot of power. He caught me with an overhand right that woke me up."

Pictured: Chris Arreola, left, with his promoter Dan Goosen at the post-fight presser. Goossen is President of Goossen Tutor PromotionsCourtesy of Adrian Hernandez, MyUniversalSports.com

While Chris became the mandatory opponent for the WBC Heavyweight King by stopping Eric Molina in the first round, most pundits are clamoring for a potential bout with Vitali's brother Wladimir.

The victor, Arreola, addressed the media with a mirrored sentiment.

"I'm ready for a Championship fight with Wladimir Klitschko. I'm going to put intelligent pressure on him from start to finish. My dream is to become the Heavyweight Champion and bring the title back to America."

Pictured: Chris Arreola, center and holding belt, with Goossen Tutor president Dan Goossen, left (in suit) and members of Team ArreolaCourtesy of Dan Brener, Goossen Tutor Promotions

Wladimir Klitschko has a March 3rd date with Jean Marc Mormeck and a potential bout with his IBF mandatory opponent Tony Thompson later this year.

In what initially appeared to be a one-sided contest, IBF Light Heavyweight Champion Tavoris Cloud (23-0, 19 KOs) and former WBO 175 pound title holder Gabriel Campillo (21-3-1, 8 KOs) were two fighters who were exposed tonight. Cloud was exposed as a big puncher who displayed many weaknesses against a defensive boxer/puncher, and Gabriel Campillo was exposed as one of the best kept secrets in boxing.

In the first stanza of the scheduled 12 round fight, Campillo looked tight and ill-prepared to face a big orthodox puncher like Cloud. He was circling to his left and into the power hand of the defending IBF Champ.

Cloud rocked Campillo several times and put down the former champion with a crushing right hand. The Spanish born fighter beat the official's count but was in serious trouble. The Florida based fighter quickly jumped on top of Campillo, dropping him to one knee once again.

Pictured: Gabriel Campillo at the post-fight presser after his controversial split decision loss to Tavoris CloudCourtesy of Adrian Hernandez, MyUniversalSports.com

But to the shock and amazement of those at ringside, Tavoris Cloud never launched another effective assault throughout the remainder of the bout.

"El Chico Guapo" must have been caught cold in the opening round, because he put on an incredible display of ring generalship and gave the IBF Light Heavyweight Champion his toughest test to date. He slipped and countered Cloud with quick, effective combinations for the remaining eleven rounds, while Tavoris struggled to land any clean shots against the defensively brilliant Spanish fighter.

To Cloud's credit, the 30 year old title holder continued to press the action, although it seemed to be offset by Campillo's ability to roll away from Cloud's continuous but mostly ineffective assault.

During the twelfth and final round, Campillo used the entire ring and attempted to keep himself at a safe distance while occasionally raising his arm in celebration. Like most ringside observers, the title challenger felt that he possessed a well deserved victory in his hip pocket. So Gabriel Campillo gave away the final round, not realizing that the judges at ringside saw a much different fight than most in attendance.

When the ring announcer, Jimmy Lennon Jr, declared a split decision victory for the reigning IBF Champion, the thousands in attendance collectively echoed their disdain for the judges' verdict.

The scorecards read 111-115, 116-110, and 114-112, in favor of the winner and still IBF Light Heavyweight Champion Tavoris Cloud.

After the bout, the reigning champ felt that he had done enough to retain the IBF title.

"I pressed the action and was landing the harder punches. He didn't do enough to take a champion's belt. I was the aggressor and outworked him from start to finish."

Although most at ringside disagreed with the fighter formerly known as the most avoided man in the Light Heavyweight division, it will be interesting to see if the current title holder grants Campillo a much deserved rematch.

Other Action

In undercard action, Alfonso Lopez (22-3, 17 KOs) suffered a major setback by losing a unanimous six round decision to the dangerous but unheralded Justin Williams (4-5-1, 2 KOs) of Beaumont, TX.

The Corpus Christi native was floored by a crushing right hand in the second round and was consistently on the receiving end of the harder more effective shots throughout the contest. The judges at ringside scored the bout 58-55 twice and 57-56, all in favor of Justin Williams.

In the immortal words of Teddy Atlas, "You can try and curb opinion all you want leading up to the fight, but the truth comes to you pretty quickly in the squared circle once that bell rings."

On September 26th, 2009, the truth for heavyweight contender Chris Arreola was personified in the form of the 6'7" Ukrainian and current WBC Champion Vitali Klitschko.

Unfortunately for the American hopeful, Dr. Iron Fist was every bit as dominant as his record and moniker had insinuated. The ring savvy veteran outclassed Chris Arreola for ten grueling rounds and subjugated the previously undefeated heavyweight from pillar to post.

The courageous 30 year old Arreols claims that he learned a very hard lesson that day.

"Mentally, the loss to Vitali Klitschko was devastating," admits Chris Arreola. "As a kid, I had always dreamed of having that green belt. I can remember meeting Julio Cesar Chavez for the first time when I was 9 years old and seeing him holding that beautiful green championship belt. So it had become a dream of mine to get that green belt and become a WBC Champion like Chavez."

"To say that I came up short that night would be an understatement. I fell flat on my face. Klitschko royally kicked my ass. He was the smarter fighter and the better man that night. The only thing I can take out of that fight is experience and knowledge; knowing that I was in there with the best and could compete at the highest level of the sport."

Although the brave combatant never conceded to defeat and gained championship level experience in facing a future Hall of Famer like Klitschko, the proud Hispanic fighter finds minimal solace in loss.

"I don't find very much redemption in loss. Even though I never quit and didn't get knocked down in that fight, I still lost...plain and simple. It's very hard to find anything positive in that. I almost feel like you have a defeatist attitude if I try to take anything positive from that bitter loss."

"At least I know that's where I belong and that's where I want to be. You know, the fact he kicked my butt... man, it happens. The fact that I cried that night...I'm a man who wears his emotions on his sleeve. But, that's how badly I want to be a world champion. It's my dream."

After being technically stopped by Vitali Klitschko and being outpointed by two division champ Tomasz Adamek, the tough Los Angeles based fighter has won six consecutive bouts, four by knockout, to work his way back into heavyweight contention.

Tonight at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX, "The Nightmare" Chris Arreola (34-2, 29 KOs) will attempt to regain his WBC mandatory challenger status by taking on 6'5" Texas native Eric "The Drummer Boy" Molina in a scheduled 12 round World Boxing Council title eliminator bout.

Although fighting without an extensive amateur pedigree, the unheralded Rio Grande Valley native is a very intelligent boxer with knockout power in both fists. The gladiator from California insists that he is very aware of dangers that Molina brings to the ring and understands the crucial nature of every contest at the world class level.

"Every fight is important. It may sound cliché, but it's absolutely true. Every fight to me is very important. If I lost my last fight, I wouldn't be here in this title eliminator bout. If I lose this fight, I'm not going to be where I want to be. So as stupid as it sounds, you really have to take one fight at a time and you can't afford to look past any opponent."

"I can't look past Eric Molina at all," emphatically states Chris Arreola. "I refuse to. The man is coming to fight and I have a lot of respect for the man. Make no mistake about it; I don't fear him...I fear no man, but I respect him."

The rugged throwback heavyweight is wise enough to realize that any man who stands 6'5" and weighs over 220 pounds is a very dangerous opponent and a loss to Eric Molina tonight would be catastrophic to his career.

"Although I will never look past any opponent, my ultimate goal is to become a true heavyweight world champion. If you're not in the game to become a world champion then you don't belong here. You're going to get yourself hurt and you're disrespecting the sport."

"That's why I'm in boxing...to become a world champion and to make history!"-------

The February 18th, event is scheduled to take place at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX, and will be televised live on Showtime Championship Boxing and Showtime Extreme.

Tickets for "Triple Threat" are priced at $25, $35, $50, $75 and $100, and are available at the American Bank Center box office and all Ticketmaster Outlets. They are also available online at ticketmaster.com and by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

On February 18th, at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX, WBC #1 ranked Heavyweight Chris Arreola (34-2, 29 KOs) will make his long awaited return to the ring in a WBC title eliminator bout.

Although an opponent has not yet been named for the upcoming featured contest, 29 year old Eric "The Drummer Boy" Molina (18-1, 14 KOs) was mentioned several times during a press conference held in Texas on Tuesday, January 24th.

Even if the perennial contender recognizes Eric Molina as a potentially dangerous opponent, Arreola has a much larger vision on the horizon.

"I am an exciting fighter and I will bring the Heavyweight Championship back to the United States," proclaims the Los Angeles based contender. "I'm going to be the first Mexican-American fighter to win the Championship."

"I'm going to make history. I'm going to be the Jack Johnson of the Mexican-American community and that makes me proud. Being the first Heavyweight Champion of Mexican descent will be an honor and it gives me more motivation."

"Not only to bring the Heavyweight title back to America, but because I'm Mexican-American...man, that feels great!"

While Chris Arreola draws great pride and strength from his Hispanic heritage, he does acknowledge the realistic possibility of facing another Mexican-American Heavyweight in the opposite corner next month.

Should the Texas Rio Grande Valley fighter be confirmed as his subsequent adversary, Arreola believes that Eric Molina will also draw strength from his cultural heritage.

"He's Hispanic, like I am, so you know there's lot of pride there and no quit in him," admits Chris Arreola. "That's why I'm going to have to come prepared on February 18th. If he's my opponent, I guarantee that it's going to be an explosive fight because he's not a guy who's going to back down."-------

To see the full recorded interview with Chris Arreola, access the video below:

The live triple-header will feature Two-Time World Champion Paul "The Punisher" Williams versus Nobuhiro Ishida of Japan, IBF Light Heavyweight Champion Tavoris Cloud against former title holder Gabriel Campillo, and WBC Heavyweight title contender Chris Arreola.

The February 18th, event is scheduled to take place at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX, and will be televised live on Showtime Championship Boxing.

Tickets for "Triple Threat" are priced at $25, $35, $50, $75 and $100, and are available at the American Bank Center box office and all Ticketmaster Outlets. They are also available online at ticketmaster.com and by phone at 1-800-745-3000.-------